Tweet By White House’s Dan Scavino Found To Have Violated The Hatch Act
- 7 years ago
Dan Scavino Jr., social media director for the White House, reportedly violated the Hatch Act when he posted a tweet attacking a Congressman.
Dan Scavino Jr., social media director for the White House, reportedly violated the Hatch Act when he posted a tweet attacking a Congressman, notes the Washington Post. According to the media outlet, the Hatch Act "restricts government employees from attempting to influence an election through their official authority."
The decision was announced in a June 5 letter from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, or OSC, to the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington which requested the review.
The letter references a tweet Scavino posted on April 1, 2017 which states, in part, “[Justin Amash] is a big liability. #TrumpTrain, defeat him in primary.”
Amash, a Republican representative from Michigan and member of the House Freedom Caucus, reportedly incited Scavino’s criticism by speaking out against Trump’s effort to overhaul Obamacare, notes CBS News.
After a review, the agency found that Scavino had, in fact, violated the Hatch Act; as a Washington Post report points out, “Even though Scavino was tweeting from his personal account, his page at the time listed his official White House position and featured a photo of him inside the Oval Office.”
The OSC letter says Scavino has been issued a warning, counseled about the law, and advised against engaging in such behavior in the future.
Dan Scavino Jr., social media director for the White House, reportedly violated the Hatch Act when he posted a tweet attacking a Congressman, notes the Washington Post. According to the media outlet, the Hatch Act "restricts government employees from attempting to influence an election through their official authority."
The decision was announced in a June 5 letter from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, or OSC, to the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington which requested the review.
The letter references a tweet Scavino posted on April 1, 2017 which states, in part, “[Justin Amash] is a big liability. #TrumpTrain, defeat him in primary.”
Amash, a Republican representative from Michigan and member of the House Freedom Caucus, reportedly incited Scavino’s criticism by speaking out against Trump’s effort to overhaul Obamacare, notes CBS News.
After a review, the agency found that Scavino had, in fact, violated the Hatch Act; as a Washington Post report points out, “Even though Scavino was tweeting from his personal account, his page at the time listed his official White House position and featured a photo of him inside the Oval Office.”
The OSC letter says Scavino has been issued a warning, counseled about the law, and advised against engaging in such behavior in the future.